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Fertility Blog by Illume Fertility

Everything you need to know about reproductive health, fertility testing, fertility treatment (like IUI and IVF) and how to navigate fertility challenges.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Donor Conception

By: Sierra Dehmler
June 27th, 2024

Last updated August 8, 2025 Becoming a parent is one of the hardest, most rewarding experiences in life. Becoming a single parent through surrogacy brings even more challenges, including significant financial hurdles. In this story, a father through surrogacy shares how he navigated major obstacles and setbacks to finally welcome his daughter.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Twins | IVF

By: Sierra Dehmler
June 18th, 2024

Considering surrogacy, but feeling overwhelmed? Two dads who have been through the process open up to share their personal journey through egg donation and surrogacy and offer helpful tips for fellow dads-to-be.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Fertility Treatment

By: Sierra Dehmler
May 7th, 2024

Did you know that Illume Fertility has a dedicated resource hub created just for LGBTQ+ patients called Gay Parents To Be? Learn what Gay Parents To Be offers, its special connection to our Medical Director, Dr. Mark Leondires, and how it can help you.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Donor Conception | Egg Donor

By: Mark P. Leondires, M.D.
April 24th, 2024

Last updated August 15, 2025 Choosing an egg donor is one of the first big decisions you'll need to make as a dad-to-be pursuing surrogacy. In this guide, we provide a comprehensive overview of the emotional, medical, and legal aspects to help you navigate the process of finding an ideal egg donor.

Surrogacy | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 24th, 2024

The path to parenthood through gestational surrogacy is complex, requiring coordinated efforts from many different parties: the intended parent(s), a physician, fertility clinic team, surrogacy agency, legal experts, and sometimes donors. In this story, one woman shares how her experience working in a fertility clinic led her to become a surrogate herself.

LGBTQ+ Family Building | Surrogacy | Genetics

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 9th, 2024

Last updated August 15, 2025 There are many important decisions to make on your journey to parenthood. But for gay dads-to-be embarking on the surrogacy process, one of the first big questions to answer is "Whose sperm are we going to use?"

Cancer | Surrogacy | Fertility Preservation | IVF | Patient Stories

By: Sierra Dehmler
October 18th, 2023

When a hopeful parent is told they may never be able to have children, what comes next? One couple opens up about their journey through a shocking cancer diagnosis, their decision to pursue fertility preservation prior to cancer treatment, how they chose surrogacy, and everything else they went through to bring their baby girl into the world.

Surrogacy

By: Sierra Dehmler
April 22nd, 2022

Over the past few years, you may have seen the topic of surrogacy popping up more frequently in the news. Some celebrity names might come to mind when you think of surrogacy - Kim Kardashian, Andy Cohen, and Anderson Cooper, to name a few. Here at Illume Fertility, we have been helping intended parents build families using gestational surrogacy for years, and we’re so happy to see it become a more relevant parenting pathway for all.